Wherever there are people, there is art. Sadly, wherever there is art, there are few creatives who can earn a living solely from their work.

Nowhere are those facts more apparent than in New Mexico, one of the most rural states in the Union, yet one laden with artistic riches. 

Encounter Culture host Charlotte Jusinski explores the benefits of and mechanics for funding New Mexico’s robust artistic community with two women who know local arts advocacy best. Michelle Laflamme-Childs is executive director at New Mexico Arts, which oversees the distribution of state and federal funds to arts organizations in every corner of this land of (artistic) enchantment.

She’s joined by Rose Eason, director of gallupARTS, the nonprofit arts council of Gallup and McKinley County in the western part of the state. The trio discuss the breadth of New Mexico’s art scene and how important art is for the state’s landscapes: cultural, educational, and perhaps most importantly, economic.

As audience members, we admire the end product but rarely do we consider the costs and opportunities associated with its creation. 

“Art is significantly more than a pretty picture on the wall,” says Michelle. It’s community, connection, and fuel for the state’s economic growth.

Learn more about gallupARTS and New Mexico Arts by visiting their respective websites.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Tierra Amarilla Theater Club

The Butterfly’s Evil Spell - by Federico García Lorca

Art 123 Gallery 

LOOM Gallery

Gallup Coffee Company

Visit http://newmexicoculture.org for info about our museums, historic sites, virtual tours and more.

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Encounter Culture, a production of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, is produced and edited by Andrea Klunder at The Creative Impostor Studios.

Hosted by Charlotte Jusinski, Editor at El Palacio Magazine

Technical Director: Edwin R. Ruiz

Recording Engineer: Kabby at Kabby Sound Studios in Santa Fe

Executive Producer:  Daniel Zillmann

Show Notes: Lisa Widder

Theme Music: D’Santi Nava

Instagram: @newmexicanculture

For more, visit podcast.nmculture.org.